dating, in case you were wondering
by checkerboxed
Summary: [one.shot][challenge.fic] ...that thing you do when you're in love. [naminé x riku][for myxbeautifulxlove]


**dating, in case you were wondering  
**_it's that thing you do when you're in love-------♥  
_naminé x riku  
challenge.fic for myxbeautifulxlove  
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When they're together, he doesn't feel like he's under all the pressure that's pounding him down. There's no guilt, there's no pain, there's no need to be proving himself. When they're together, he's just like he used to be— carefree, and happy.

Because when Riku's with Naminé, the world outside them ceases to exist— fears and likes melt away, and it becomes just the two of them. Because when Riku's with Naminé, he only sees her.

They're sitting on the balcony of her apartment amid the golden glow of the sunset. Riku never understands why her walls and furniture and clothing are completely, solidly white, but she tells him that this is because it helps her appreciate color more. It's sort of a psychology thing, but when she leaves the apartment, colors are sharper and clearer. Riku doesn't like the white— he gets lost in it, so lost he can't find himself or Naminé. Because, after all, Naminé blends in with the white, except for her gorgeous blueblue eyes.

Riku leans back against the wall beside her, his feet propped up against the railing. He stares at her, his blue eyes boring into hers, because when she is uncomfortable like this, she blushes and it brings a little color into her pale skin, and he needs that to remind him that she isn't fragile.

Naminé shifts on the balcony. The dying sun is lighting up her face, sparkling in her eyes. "What?"

He smiles and leans forward toward the sunset, leaning his head on his fists and his elbows on his knees. He shakes his head. "Nothing, Naminé."

She sighs, twisting the ends of her hair around her fingers. Riku's eyes drift along her hair and down her hands and up her arms and neck to her eyes again. She's watching him now, her eyes trained on his, and he squirms internally because he's being obvious. "Hey, Naminé," he says, covering up, "We should go out."

Naminé stares at Riku. Riku stares at Naminé.

"…we are out."

Riku's eyes widen, because this is new to him, and then he glances around. _Oh_, he thinks— "No, Naminé, I wasn't talking about _outside_." He tells her, shaking his head.

She blinks at him.

"I mean, date," he continues, "You know, go out on dates. Dating."

She's still looking confused. "Um. Like— Yuffie and Leon?"

"Yes," says Riku, "Just like that." He's grinning now, and she's blushing, and they're back to point one.

"Well," she says thoughtfully, "it doesn't seem to me that they actually _do_ anything." Naminé is pretty sure that she's missing the point, but she doesn't know what the point _is_, exactly. She runs a hand across her eyes.

Riku leans closer, grinning playfully. "They hold hands," he says, reaching for her fingers. He twists them between his own, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "They flirt," he continues, blowing lightly on her ear, grinning even wider when she shivers. "They kiss…" Riku says, leaning in close so that they're noses are almost touching.

Naminé's eyes widen. "R…Riku…?"

He leans forward the rest of the way and kisses her, pressing his lips to hers briefly. He's questioning, testing the waters, and whether she's ready to push their relationship beyond the bounds of friendship into the shaky grounds of something more. When he pulls away, his heart thudding in his chest, Namine's blue eyes slowly blink open. Riku keeps his eyes on hers, smile widening. Naminé reaches up weakly to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, face reddening.

"I've never seen them do… that," Naminé says softly, mouth quivering. Her hand moves outward, tentatively, but she pulls back, unsure. "Are you…sure— that they do that?"

"Do what?" He's teasing her now, because he's fairly sure that she responded to the kiss. She's shy, Riku knows, and she probably hasn't been kissed before. He's willing to take this slowly, if it means she'll stay with him.

She looks down. "Um… you know, um— _kiss_." Naminé practically whispers the end of the sentence, looking mortified. Riku smiles widely.

"Oh, you mean…" He leans forward for another kiss, content to simply be there with her. When her fingers fist themselves in his shirt, he knows he has her. "…_kissing_? Of course."

Inside the apartment, the door slams. "Naminé," yells Kairi, and the two on the balcony jump apart. By the time Namine's sister slides open the glass door, they are leaning against opposite ends of the balcony, legs stretched out, feet pressed against each others'.

Kairi glances between them, eyebrows raised. "Is this maybe not a good time?" She asks. Riku's pretty sure that her guess has something to do with the way they are both looking guilty, and Namine's blushing, and Riku's grinning. He wipes the grin off his face.

There is a pause, and then Naminé and Riku are speaking at once, protesting, _No,no, nothing like that_. Kairi grins. "Okay, well, I'll just head out to Sora's for awhile. Alright? See you later." And then she's gone, the apartment door closing behind her.

They're alone again.

Naminé sighs. "Everyone's going to know about us, aren't they?"

Riku stands up and reaches out a hand to help her up. He pulls her close, running his fingers through her platinum blonde hair. "Of course," he says, and leans down to kiss her. "There is an us, then?"

Her smile is slow, but it lights up her face. "Of course," says Naminé, mimicking him, "There always has been."

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**standard disclaimer applies.  
not one of my best, but then again,  
i wrote it during history. ♥♥**

and i'm also horrible with titles.


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